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Former Olympian Beckie Scott to Lead "TEAM Spectra"
HOUSTON, TX and CALGARY, April 23 /CNW/ - Spectra Energy today announced
its support of eight elite Canadian and U.S. amateur athletes competing for
their national teams in winter sports. Beckie Scott, Olympic gold medal winner
in the 2002 Salt Lake City Games, is serving as athlete ambassador for "TEAM
Spectra".
"We believe in partnerships at the grass-roots level and have developed
the High-Performance Athlete-in-Training and the Spectra Energy Sons and
Daughters grant programs to support talented athletes as they make their
competitive journey to the international podium," said Greg Ebel, president
and chief executive officer, Spectra Energy. "We are proud to support eight
talented winter sport athletes competing in several traditionally under-funded
sports."
"This much-needed funding will help ensure this incredible group of
athletes will have access to the resources they need to remain competitive
with the best in the world during their ongoing pursuit of excellence," said
Beckie Scott, two-time Olympic medalist and athlete ambassador for "TEAM
Spectra". "We applaud Spectra Energy for providing this financial boost, and
we look forward to having them on the start lines with us as we share this
exciting journey together."
The following High Performance Athlete-in-Training program recipients
will receive $30,000 each to support their training and development:
1. Jenny Ciochetti, Canadian Bobsleigh Team
Jenny was recruited to bobsleigh in the summer of 2006. She quickly
assumed the role of brakeman for Canada's number one sled. Having just
completed her third season with pilot Helen Upperton, Jenny helped push the
Canada 1 sled to two more World Cup victories.
2. Andrew Newell, U.S. Cross Country Team
Currently the top-ranked skier in the U.S., Andrew was named to the U.S.
Ski Team in 2005 and competed at the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy. Andrew
has his eye on the Olympic podium in 2010 and is concentrating his training
efforts to go for gold.
3. Regan Lauscher, Canadian Luge Team
A seven-time Canadian champion, two-time Olympian and the veteran on the
women's team, Regan is Canada's first ever winner of a World Cup silver medal
in luge. She now has her sights set on the Olympic podium in Vancouver.
4. Mellisa Hollingsworth, Canadian Skeleton Team
Mellisa kicked-off the World Cup season leading up to the 2006 Olympic
Winter Games by winning her first World Cup in 10 years of racing, and became
the first athlete in the history of the sport to finish in the top three for
the remainder of the year. She slid to an historic bronze-medal finish in
Torino, after winning the Overall World Cup title, and has secured four more
World Cup medals in 2008-09.
5. Noelle Pickus Pace, U.S. Skeleton Team
In 2005, Noelle won her first World Cup gold medal, and went on to become
the first American woman to win the Overall World Cup title. In 2007 she won
the World Championships by the largest margin in history while breaking the
track record, and became the first American woman to obtain the title of World
Champion in skeleton. In 2008, Noelle captured a World Cup bronze medal in
Park City, Utah.
6. Denny Morrison, Canadian Speed Skating Team
Denny followed his Olympic silver medal performance in Torino with a
breakout 2007-08 season where he achieved a World Cup overall silver, followed
by his first World Championship win in Nagano and a World Record on home ice
in Calgary in his final race of the season.
7. Warren Shouldice, Canadian Freestyle Aerials Team
Warren has been a member of the Canadian Freestyle Ski Team for seven
years and represented Canada in the 2006 Olympics in Torino, where he finished
in sixth spot. In 2008-09 he twice flew to the bronze medal spot on the World
Cup podium. He also captured his first-ever World Championship medal in 2009
when he won the bronze at Inawashiro, Japan.
The Spectra Energy Sons &amp; Daughters grant program was specifically
targeted at elite winter athletes connected to the Spectra Energy family. Jay
Morrison, a multiple Canadian championship medallist and five-year veteran of
Canada's long-track speedskating team, received a Sons &amp; Daughters grant and
rounds out "TEAM Spectra" as its eighth member.
"Our national team athletes touch us all and embody the qualities of high
performance and team work that exemplify what preparation, hard work, and
successful execution can achieve," said Ebel. "We are doubly proud to be
supporting the children of employees who are pursuing their athletic ambitions
at an elite level. Denny Morrison, Jay Morrison and Warren Shouldice are sons
of our employees, currently training and competing in their respective
sports."
Spectra Energy is privileged to team-up with Beckie Scott who will lead
"TEAM Spectra" as Athlete Ambassador. A three-time Olympian, Gold Medal
winner, Beckie was Canada's first woman to win an Olympic medal in
cross-country skiing. Beckie will serve as liaison between the athletes and
the company, as Spectra Energy stands behind these athletes and encourages
their excellence.
"Beckie's personal integrity, warm and engaging personality and
cross-border connections makes her a perfect fit with Spectra Energy and we
are so pleased to have her on 'TEAM Spectra,'" said Ebel.
Athletes were selected based on their athletic performance (world
ranking), an essay describing their community involvement and behaviour
consistent with Spectra Energy's values. "TEAM Spectra" will work as community
ambassadors on behalf of the company, and participate in employee and outreach
events.
Spectra Energy Corp (NYSE: SE), a FORTUNE 500 company, is one of North
America's premier natural gas infrastructure companies serving three key links
in the natural gas value chain: gathering and processing, transmission and
storage, and distribution. For nearly a century, Spectra Energy and its
predecessor companies have developed critically important pipelines and
related infrastructure connecting natural gas supply sources to premium
markets. Based in Houston, Texas, the company operates in the United States
and Canada approximately 18,300 miles of transmission pipeline, 270 billion
cubic feet of storage, natural gas gathering and processing, natural gas
liquids operations and local distribution assets. The company also has a 50
percent ownership in DCP Midstream, one of the largest natural gas gatherers
and processors in the United States. Spectra Energy was recently ranked by
FORTUNE as the world's "most admired" pipeline company. For more information,
visit www.spectraenergy.com.
NOTE TO EDITORS: For interviews with, or enquiries specific to the
athletes, please contact: Chris Dornan, (281) 703-4394
NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo to accompany this release will be posted
by 3:15 CT / 2:15 MT.
/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available on
the CNW Photo Network and archived at http://photos.newswire.ca.
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